New proposals regarding textbooks and high school graduation exams

TPO - Regarding the high school graduation exam, there are currently two different opinions. Some suggest that the high school graduation exam should still be held, and that the high school graduation exam should be separated from university admissions, while others suggest that the exam should not be held but should be considered for high school graduation.

On the morning of August 13, continuing the 48th Session, the National Assembly Standing Committee gave opinions on the Draft Law amending and supplementing a number of articles of the Law on Education .

Presenting the report, Minister of Education and Training Nguyen Kim Son stated that the amendment and supplementation of this law aims to overcome difficulties in implementation, meet the requirements of international integration and digital transformation, while ensuring conformity and consistency with new legal regulations and policies on reorganizing the apparatus, administrative units at all levels and decentralization and delegation of power.

Minister of Education and Training Nguyen Kim Son.

According to Mr. Son, students who complete the high school program and meet the requirements set by the Ministry are eligible to take the exam. If they meet the requirements, they will be awarded a high school diploma by the school principal.

This revision will also aim to eliminate the junior high school diploma to simplify the education management process, in line with international practices and the current context of universalizing education to junior high school.

During the review, Chairman of the Committee for Culture and Society Nguyen Dac Vinh stated that there are two opinions regarding the high school graduation exam.

Firstly, it is proposed to still organize the high school graduation exam, assign the authority to create exam questions to the Minister of Education and Training ; assign the authority to organize the exam to localities; and study the separation of the high school graduation exam from university admission.

Second, it is proposed not to organize exams but to consider high school graduation.

The Standing Committee supports the first type of opinion and asks for the opinion of the National Assembly Standing Committee on the above views.

Commenting on this content, Vice Chairman of the National Assembly Nguyen Khac Dinh leaned towards the Government's proposal, which is to continue organizing the high school graduation exam and delegate authority to localities. Mr. Dinh did not agree with the proposed plan of not organizing the exam, only considering high school graduation.

The Vice Chairman of the National Assembly said that currently, universities are autonomous and can use high school exam results, but 'it is not mandatory'. Schools can still recruit additional aptitude subjects and organize their own capacity assessments.

Therefore, if the high school graduation exam is separated from the university entrance exam, it could be costly for society and also lose the autonomy of schools.

Free step by step study textbook

Another notable point is that the draft law also stipulates related to textbooks. Accordingly, the authority is delegated from the provincial People's Committee to the Department of Education and Training. The Director of the Department of Education and Training decides on the selection of textbooks for stable use in general education institutions in the area and organizes the compilation of local educational materials.

Chairman of the Committee on Culture and Social Affairs Nguyen Dac Vinh.

Regarding this issue, the Standing Committee of the Culture and Social Affairs Committee suggested that the drafting agency conduct research in the direction of having a common set of textbooks, and possibly having other textbooks as reference materials; and gradually research free textbooks for students.

Agreeing with this view, Vice Chairman of the National Assembly Nguyen Khac Dinh cited a practical example: many countries have a common set of textbooks drafted by the Ministry of Education and Training. Therefore, he suggested including this content in the draft law.

The draft amends and supplements Article 34 in the direction of: transferring the authority to grant high school graduation certificates from the Director of the Department of Education and Training to the Principal; removing the regulation that the head of the specialized education agency under the People's Committee at the district level grants junior high school graduation certificates and assigning the head of the institution implementing the junior high school education program to confirm the transcript of the completion of the junior high school program, reducing the administrative workload for the state management agency on education, and increasing autonomy for educational institutions.

Source: https://tienphong.vn/de-xuat-moi-lien-quan-den-sach-giao-khoa-thi-tot-nghiep-trung-hoc-pho-thong-post1768787.tpo